


To go or not to go?

by exhaustedwerewolf



Series: 30 Day Post Challenge [5]
Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Hurt & Comfort, Post-Weirdmaggedon, Social Anxiety, Supportive Siblings, Very brief mention of (fictional) violence, blood tw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-05
Updated: 2016-11-05
Packaged: 2018-08-29 07:20:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8480659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exhaustedwerewolf/pseuds/exhaustedwerewolf
Summary: Dipper has doubts about attending a casual hangout with Mabel's friends. His sister tries to encourage him.





	

"Mabel? I'm still thinking about... Not going. Tomorrow."  
Mabel looked away from the television screen in surprise, and picked up the remote to mute the sound.  
"Is this an I-don't-want-to-leave-the-house-thing, or an I-don't-want-to-go-to-this-specific-event-thing?"  
She moved the bowl of popcorn that had been separating them aside. Dipper made a non-committal noise, and folded his legs up onto the couch. Mabel crossed her arms, and summoned an optimistic expression.  
"C'mon Dip-Dop, it'll be fun! Why don't you want to go?"  
Dipper was still pretending to be invested in the movie, and didn't reply for a few seconds. He didn't want this to come off as a big deal.  
"I don't know, Mabel. It's our homeroom, you know most of my friends are in different ones..."  
"What about Caleb and Cassidy and-?" Mabel wiggled her fingers to indicate the rest of the social circle. "They want us to come to lunch beforehand, I thought-"  
"They want you to go to lunch beforehand, Mabel." Dipper interrupted her sharply, finally turning to his sister. Seeing her expression, and realising that he'd cut her off, he dropped his gaze apologetically. "Sorry, I kind of bulldozed you there. You were saying?" Mabel took a breath.  
"They invited us in the group chat." She tried to reassure her brother, but he just fiddled with his fringe, tugging it down further over his birthmark. "Everyone's invited, Dipper." He responded with a short, bitter laugh.  
"I haven't said a word on that group chat in two months. They've probably forgotten I'm even there. I- I haven't even said yes or anything, so I can't go now, but if I go to the game they'll think I was ignoring them..." He trailed off, chewing on his lip. Mabel shuffled over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.  
"They won't think that! Besides, everyone's going Dipper. It'll be fun! You survived finals too, didn't you?" She felt him sigh defeatedly, and he lent into her.  
"And did it have to be a sport thing?" He muttered. "It's going to be embarrassing."  
"Dipper, it's bubble football. We're literally going to be trapped inside plastic goldfish bowls. It'll be embarrassing for everyone."  
He didn't reply, just brought his hands up to cover his face.  
"I don't know, I've just felt weird lately. Even with people who I know, I just... Keep doing stuff wrong." His words were muffled. "But if I don't go, they'll just think I'm even weirder than they already do."  
Now it was Mabel's turn to sigh, and she lent down to kiss the top of his head. They'd outgrown their aversion to affection.  
"You are weird, weirdo. But they won't judge you if you don't feel like coming." Dipper didn't say anything.  
"We don't have to decide right now, okie dokie?" She swung her legs thoughtfully, and they thudded against the couch in an oddly comforting manner. "Tomorrow's fine, since we don't have to confirm anything."  
Dipper moved away from his sister to meet her gaze.  
"But you should definitely go, Mabel." He implored. "I know you want to. Don't stay home on my account. I have... stuff to do, anyway. Summer homework I want to get done before we go back to Gravity Falls. Can't do that with you around to distract me, can I?"  
"Okay." Mabel agreed reluctantly, glancing back at the television screen. "If you'll think about it."  
"You know I will." Dipper grimaced, repositioning a cushion so that she could settle more comfortably.  
"And remember, if we go we'll be going together. Besides, it'll be way more fun with you there- you know that right?"  
Dipper rolled his eyes doubtfully, and gave a "Yeah, right," but he nodded, and that was enough for Mabel.  
"Want me to rewind this?" She asked, relocating the remote and gesturing with it vaguely. "I think we missed something important." Onscreen, the protagonist seemed to be very suddenly lying in a pool of her own blood, with her loyal sidekick standing over her, wielding a baseball bat.  
"Oh gosh, yeah." Dipper snorted in surprise, giving his sister a small smile. "Sure, go for it."  
Mabel rewound the film.


End file.
